Hajj means to visit the sacred house of Allah in Makkah Mukarramah during the days of Hajj, (i.e. 8, 9, 10, 11 and l2th of Zil Hijjah). This is the fifth of the religious duties of a Muslim

Pilgrimage to the house of Allah is a bounded duty unto mankind for him who has the means to find the way thereunto, and whosoever disbelieves, then verily Allah is free and Independent from the entire universe. (Qur'aan; Surah Aale Imraan, verse 97) Rasulullah is reported to have mentioned:

"Hasten in performing Hajj, for verily one never knows what will befall him."

"One who dies white on his journey for Hajj, Allah will record the reward of Hajj for him upto the day of Qiyamah, and one who dies while on his journey for Umrah Allah will record the reward of Umrah for him upto the day of Qiyamah."

"For an accepted Hajj, there is no reward besides Jannah (Paradise)."

"One who possesses wealth and has all the means by which he could reach the Sacred House of Allah (the Ka'bah) and yet does not perform Hajj, he then may either die as a Nasraani (Christian) or a Majoos (fire-worshipper)."

UPON WHOM IS Hajj FARZ (CONDITIONS)

Hajj is FARZ once in a lifetime upon every adult, male and female. The conditions that make Hajj FARZ are as follows.

To be a Muslim;

To be mentally fit (not insane);

To be physically fit, (not invalid or handicapped);

Buloogh, (to be physically matured);

To be a free person, (not to be a slave);

To have sufficient provision for one's dependants, e.g. children, for the duration of one's absence as well as to possess all requirements for travel and be financially independent. If one has the means to travel and staying at Makkah Mukarramah, Muzdalifah, Meena and Arafat. â€¢Hajj becomes FARZ even though one does NO have the means of going to Madinah Munawwara.

Security of route;

A woman must be accompanied by her husband or a Mahram. (A Mahram is a male member of the family whom she is NOT allowed to marry according to Islaamic Law.)

If any of the above conditions are not found, Hajj will not be FARZ. Once the above conditions are found, Hajj becomes Farz. It becomes Waajib upon such a person to perform Hajj during the first available Hajj period. Delaying the Hajj will be a sinful act.

MASAA'IL REGARDING THE MAHRAM

If the Mahram is a minor or one who is so irreligious that he cannot be trusted by even his mother and sister, then it is not proper to travel with such a person.

. When a trustworthy Mahram is found, it is not permissible for the husband to refuse permission for her to travel. If he does, she should still proceed for Hajj.

A girl almost attaining maturity should also be accompanied by a Mahram.

A woman going for Hajj (with a Mahram) should bear all the cost of the Mahram.

If no Mahram is found by a woman all her life, it will not be regarded a sin if she does not perform Hajj. However, such a woman MUST mention in her will that someone be sent for Hajj on her behalf after her death. This will be binding on her inheritors provided it be possible to fulfill the Hajj expenses from one-third of her estate.

OTHER MASAA'IL

A person delayed his FARZ Hajj. He thereafter becomes blind or so ill that he is unable to undertake the journey. Such a person should draw up a will for Hajje Badal after his death.

If one has left so much wealth after his death that after discharging his liabilities, Hajje Badal can be performed from one-third of the remaining wealth, then it is essential for the heirs of the deceased to carry out the will.

If one-third is not sufficient to cover the expenses for Hajj, then the heirs are not obliged to carry out the will.

However, if they willingly make up the deficiency then someone may be sent for Hajje Badal.

N.B. To use the wealth of Naa Baalighs (minors), even with their consent, is not permissible

If one-third of the legacy was not sufficient to carry out the will and the heirs did not agree to part with their share, and thus Hajje Badal was not performed, then the deceased is not sinful.

It is NOT proper for a woman in IDDAT, being widowed or divorced, to disrupt her Iddat and go for Hajj.

While in Ihram, a woman should not cover her face with a cloth. A net is used for this purpose. It should be tied on the face in a manner that it does NOT TOUCH the face.

TYPES OF HAJJ

THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF HAJJ:

QlRAAN: To perform Umrah first in the month: of Hajj, (Shawwaal, Zil Qa'dah and the first days of Zil Hijjah) and thereafter to perform Hajj with one Ihraam, i.e. one will remain in the Haram of Makkah (varying from 5 to 14.5 km in various directions) in the state of Ihraam from the moment the Meeqaat is entered until the Ihraam is released on the 1Oth Zil Hijjah.

TAMATTU: To perform Umrah during the month of Hajj and release the Ihraam. Thereafter perform Hajj the same year without leaving the Meeqaat.

IFRAAD: To perform Hajj only, during the days of Hajj.

The one who performs:

Qiraan is called a Qaarin.

Tamattu is called a Mutamatti'.

Ifraad is called a Mufrid.

According to the Hanafi school of thought Qiraan is considered the best. Thereafter Tamattu' a lastly Ifraad.

Once the intention is made to discharge the obligation of Hajj, it is Farz to study the Masaa'il of Hajj (preferably under the guidance of an Aalim). for this purpose one may refer to the Kitab:- Hajj-Umrah-Ziyarat by Mufti Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Ebrahim, obtainable from Ilmi Publications, Box 25051, Ferreeirasdorp, Transvaal, South Africa.

The 5 days of Hajj (in brief)

1st day: 8th Zul Hijjah, Yaum-ut-Tarwiyah After putting on their Ihraams for Hajj, the Hajjees proceed to MlNA after sunrise and perform 5 Salaahs there, i.e. Zohar, Asr, Maghrib, Esha and Fajr of the next day (9 Zil Hijjah).

2nd day: 9th Zul Hijjah, Yaum-ul-Arafah After sunrise the Hajjees proceed to ARAFAAT and make WUQOOF after ZAWAAL. Zohar and Asr Salaah will be performed here. Here they remain engaged in Du'aa, Zikr, Tilaawat, etc. until sunset. Immediately after sunset they proceed to Muzdalifah. Here they will perform Maghrib and Esha at the time of Esha. The night will be spent at Muzdalifah.

3rd day: 10th Zul Hijjah, Yaum-un-Nahr After performing Fajr Salaah at Muzdalifah, the Hajjees proceed to Mina before sunrise. On this day four important rites have to be performed.

RAMEE of Jamaratul Aqabah (stoning the big Shaytaan).

ZABH (to sacrifice an animal).

HALQ or Qasr (shaving or trimming the hair of the head).

To perform TAWAAFUZ ZIYAARAH

4th day: 11th Zul Hijjah All three SHAYTAANS have to be pelted on this day and the night will be spent at MINA. RAAMEE, i.e. pelting time begins after ZAWAAL and ends before SUNSET.

5th day: 12th Zul Hijjah Make Ramee, i.e. pelt all three Shaytaans after Zawaal. The Hajjees may now proceed to MAKKAH MU'AZZAM. Those who wish to remain in Mina on the l3th Zul Hijjah should pelt the 3 Shaytaans before proceeding to Makkah Mukarramah. The pelting on this day is permissible throughout the day (including the period before Zawaal).